Blockchain-Based Evidence Chains: Challenges to Authenticity, Admissibility, and Judicial Trust
Keywords:
Blockchain, Digital Evidence, Chain of Custody, Immutability, Legal Admissibility, Judicial Trust, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Cryptographic Integrity, Evidence Authentication, Forensic TechnologyAbstract
The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed the nature of evidence used in legal proceedings, creating an urgent need for more secure, transparent, and reliable mechanisms of documentation. Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution due to its tamper-evident structure, decentralized consensus mechanisms, and cryptographic traceability. These features position blockchain as a potential foundation for modern chain-of-custody systems, addressing longstanding vulnerabilities in digital evidence handling. However, its integration into judicial processes introduces significant challenges. This narrative review examines the conceptual, technical, legal, and institutional barriers associated with blockchain-based evidence chains, with a focus on authenticity, admissibility, and judicial trust. The review highlights key tensions between blockchain’s technical immutability and the legal system’s broader criteria for authenticity, particularly when data input vulnerabilities or contextual uncertainties remain unresolved. Admissibility concerns also persist as courts grapple with traditional evidentiary doctrines that were not designed with decentralized verification systems in mind. Issues related to hearsay classifications, best evidence requirements, cross-jurisdictional standards, and the need for expert testimony complicate the legal status of blockchain-generated records. Furthermore, judicial skepticism arises from the perceived opacity of cryptographic processes and the difficulty of assessing reliability within complex consensus mechanisms. Institutional culture, training deficits, and accountability concerns contribute additional barriers. Despite these obstacles, the review identifies substantial opportunities for improvement, including legal reforms, standardized guidelines, privacy-preserving cryptographic tools, permissioned blockchain environments, AI-assisted forensics, and multi-stakeholder governance structures. Strengthening judicial capacity through education and professional development will be essential to bridging the gap between technological potential and legal practice. Overall, the findings emphasize that blockchain can significantly enhance evidentiary integrity when supported by coherent legal frameworks, robust procedural safeguards, and sustained institutional investment.
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